Sade (band)

Sade ( SHAH-day or shah-DAY) are an English band, formed in London in 1982. It comprises Sade Adu (vocals), Paul Denman (bass), Stuart Matthewman (saxophones, guitars) and Andrew Hale (keyboards, piano); the band has not had a drummer since 1986, and employs session musicians for recordings and live shows. Their style spans genres such as soul, quiet storm, smooth jazz and sophisti-pop. Sade's debut studio album, Diamond Life (1984), topped the charts of several countries, sold over four million copies worldwide, won the Brit Award for Best British Album. Their second studio album, Promise (1985), was certified double platinum in the UK, and quadruple platinum in the US, peaking at number one in both territories; it also won the band their first Grammy Award. Their following two albums, Stronger Than Pride (1988) and Love Deluxe (1992), drew further success and awards. They released their fifth studio album 8 years later with Lovers Rock (2000), which won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Ten years after that, their sixth studio album, Soldier of Love (2010), became their first number one debut in the US, and their first number one overall since Promise; it won the band its fourth Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. All of Sade's albums, including compilations and a live album, have charted in the US Top Ten. As of 2012, their sales in the US stood at 23 million units, and by 2014, their sales worldwide stood at 75 million. The band was ranked at number 50 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026.